The sunny southeast beckons for the AIG Cups and Shields All-Ireland Finals Series opening weekend as Tramore hosts the AIG Barton Shield, AIG Senior Cup and AIG Junior Foursomes finals.
Sixteen quarter-finalists are confirmed for the AIG Men’s and Women’s Senior Cups, with Lahinch represented in both competitions.
The action starts today with the AIG Barton Shield and it promises to be a fascinating battle with newly crowned AIG Irish Amateur Close champion Quentin Carew in action for Castleknock as they take on Roscommon’s young guns with the winners to face Cork or Galgorm Castle in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
Tralee take on Donaghadee and Castle face Rosslare in the other Barton Shield quarter-
finals hoping to make Saturday afternoon’s decider.
The quarter-finals of the AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes are also on the schedule today with Cahir Park, Dunmurry, Tralee, Killymoon, Malahide, Bearna, Edmondstown and Rathdowney looking to take the next big step toward Saturday’s final.
In the AIG Women’s Senior Cup, 2020 winners Lahinch fell to a young Elm Park in the All Ireland final at Castle last year, but the Co Clare club is looking to win back the trophy in Tramore where they face a challenging task against Royal County Down in tomorrow’s quarter-finals as Douglas do battle with mighty Royal Portrush.
The winners of the Lahinch-RCD clash will face Dun Laoghaire or Wexford in Saturday’s semis, while Douglas or Royal Portrush will be hard pressed by either Laytown & Bettystown or Connacht champions Roscommon, who boast the talented international Olivia Costello in their ranks.
In the AIG Senior Cup, Lahinch’s men’s team will be looking to follow in the footsteps of their female counterparts and win an All Ireland title for the first time since Brud Slattery, PJ Leyden, Greg Young, Gerry McGlennon, Austin Skerritt and Tom Ahern won the Senior Cup in 1959.
Lahinch beat Ennis, Woodstock and Limerick before defeating Dooks 4-1 in the Munster West final at Killarney and with former South of Ireland champion Mark Campbell in a side that also boasts Stephen Loftus, Michael O’Kelly, Aaron McNulty, Thomas Neenan, Eoin Glynn, Bob Loftus and Noel Sexton, they will be a test for Tandragee on Saturday.
The winners of the Lahinch-Tandragee clash face a tough semi-final against 2020 champions (and 2019 runners-up) Carton House or a talented Naas team.
Cork’s Lee Valley take on Cushendall in their quarter-final with the winner of that one to face The Island, vanquishers of Portmarnock in the Leinster North semi-
finals, or Connacht champions Athenry who had a big win over Roscommom with David Kitt their best player.
Today
AIG Barton Shield Quarter Finals
0900-0910 Cork v Galgorm Castle; 0920-0930 Tralee v Donaghadee; 0940-0950 Castleknock v Roscommon; 1000-1010 Castle v Rosslare
AIG Women’s Junior Foursomes Quarter Finals
1020-1040 Cahir Park v Dunmurry; 1050-1110 Tralee v Killymoon; 1120-1140 Malahide v Bearna; 1150-1210 Edmondstown v Rathdowney
Tomorrow
AIG Women’s Senior Cup Quarter Finals
0900-0916 Douglas v Royal Portrush; 0940-0956 Lahinch v Royal Co Down; 1012-1052 Laytown & Bettystown v Roscommon; 1100-1132 Dun Laoghaire v Wexford
AIG Barton Shield Semi Finals
1150-1210 Cork or Galgorm Castle v Castleknock or Roscommon; 1210-1220 Tralee or Donaghadee v Castle or Rosslare
AIG Junior Foursome Semi Finals
1230-1250 Cahir Park or Dunmurry v Malahide or Bearna; 1300-1320 Tralee or Killymoon v Edmondstown or Rathdowney
Saturday
AIG Men’s Senior Cup Quarter Finals
0900-0932 Lee Valley v Cushendall; 0940-1012 Lahinch v Tandragee; 1020-1052 The Island v Athenry; 1100-1132 Carton House v Naas
AIG Women’s Senior Cup Semi Finals
1150-1222 Douglas or Royal Portrush v Laytown & Bettystown or Roscommon; 1230-1302 Lahinch or Royal Co Down v Dun Laoghaire or Wexford
AIG Barton Shield Final
1330-1340
AIG Junior Foursomes Final 1400-1420
Sunday
AIG Men’s Senior Cup Semi Finals
0900-0932 Lee Valley or Cushendall v The Island or Athenry; 0940-1012 Lahinch or Tandragee v Carton Hse or Naas
AIG Women’s Senior Cup Final 1100-1132
AIG Men’s Senior Cup Final 1400-1432
